Books About the Moon

Tuesday, July 09, 2019 BookBairn 3 Comments

Next week (on the 20th) marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Moon Landings so if you want to brush up your knowledge before then, or have a little one who is fascinated by the event then we've picked out some of the best Moon non-fiction for you. There are lots of wonderful picture book adventures about the Moon (we shared our favourite Space adventures last week - some of which are specifically Moon adventures) but there are so many I couldn't share all of them - I did share some of our favourites some time ago in a post To the Moon and Back but as I say the Moon holds such a fascination for many of us it's no wonder that there are so many children's stories about its gaze, glow and wonder.

But without further ado...

Little World: To the Moon by Allison Black & Stuart Atkinson

This is one for the very littlest readers in your house - it says on the back for children aged 2+ but as you know we believe in reading to children from the earliest possible chance so for us this is perfect for babies too! With a gentle narrative, this book is a lovely introduction to a guiding children on their first space adventure. But best of all, they get to take part in the adventure by pushing, pulling and sliding the moving mechanisms to explore the story. And we adore the double fold-out blast off return to Earth scene at the end. This has a soft colour palette to making it perfect for bedtime and night-time moon gazing! It is super for curious little ones to get in on the Moon Landing anniversary action and learn about the world around them (and beyond!).

The Moon by Hannah Pang & Thomas Hegbrook

This book is stunning. Before I begin I want to say that it's aimed at kids older than 8+ and I usually share books aimed at BookBairn's age so I wanted to let you know before you get excited about this beauty. But it's just too good not to share with you. This book is a beautiful tribute to the wonder of the Moon. It will take you on a journey of discovery of the history of man's relationship with the Moon. Highly informative with stunning illustrations this is the perfect book for any want to be astronomer, astronaut, mathematician, poet of artist alike as is it's subject. The Press Release describes it as "a comprehensive guide to all things lunar" but it is so much more beautiful than that. And usually when I get a book aimed at older than BookBairn I find it a good home with the appropriate aged child or give it to a school, but not this beauty - it's been saved in the for future box. But if you have a child who is all excited by the Moon Landings and is a little older then this book truly is the most beautiful and fascinating way to learn about it!

Night-time Around the World: Moon by Britta Teckentrup & Patricia Hegarty

I just adore this series of books by Britta Teckentrup as they are incredibly beautiful. So many of the pages would make stunning artwork for your walls never mind beneath the pages of a picture book. In my post, 'When Illustrations Become Art', I said:

"For BookBairn, there is, without a doubt, nothing more important to her when reading books than the illustrations. She feels them, touching the pages, she pours over them turning page after page after page. She can't read the words. And as much as she enjoys listening to stories read aloud to her, it's primarily the illustrations that determine her favourites."

And I think this is probably true for us grown-ups too! Night-time Around the World: Moon is an atmospheric book that will take you on a journey through the dusky peek-through pages under the light of a shimmering moon from woodlands full of night-time creatures, to antarctic skies, to sunny beaches and to (my favourite) the northern lights. Featuring animals as diverse as jellyfish, turtles, bears, penguins and puffins to name a few, this really is a mesmerising book. The die-cut pages means that little ones can see the shape of the moon change before their eyes. The rhymthical text of Patricia Hegarty should not be forgotten amongst the stunning artwork as it too is beautiful. But mostly this series is intricate, innovative and incredible! This really is breath-taking. And if you don't want a copy for your kids - make sure to get one for you!

When We Walked on the Moon by David Long & Sam Kalda

Another book aimed at older readers (which we have also stashed in our for future box), it tells the story of the Apollo Missions. This is a lovely book which focuses on the stories of the astronauts, looking beyond the facts to the human stories behind the missions. They are incredible, hilarious and terrifying in equal measure and share the vivid colour of the heroic triumphs of the six manned moon landings. I love the blend of narrative and fact sharing - a very appealing read! With sharp and crisp illustrations suited to a more grown-up audience (of children aged 7+) this is a beautiful (and oversized) book. If you have ever looked up at the Moon and wondered about the moon then this is for you!

Counting on Katherine by Helaine Becker & Dow Phumiruk

You quite possibly never would have heard about the accomplishments of Katherine Johnson had her life not been depicted in the film Hidden Figures. And thank goodness we have, for now we know that without the mathematical genius of Katherine we might never have put a man on the moon fifty years ago! Based on interviews with Katherine and her family, the author has brought to life the story of a little girl who loved numbers, who fought for her place, to go on to make an enormous contribution to history. This is a gentle but bold story that will stay with little ones long after the Moon has 'gone to bed' and will inspire them to count, calculate and dream big! The illustrations are a beautiful depiction of Katherine's life and the endpapers are some of my favourites ever!

I hope that has you wanting to blast off into a Moon adventure! And if it's got your little one excite dabout Space why not check out our blog post of the most fascinating Non-Fiction Space books that we've read?!

I've also added a new 'Books about Space' section to my Amazon shop!

Happy exploring!

Kim and the bairns x

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